The sweet smell of teriyaki fills the air while laughing children play games and Judo performers demonstrate their skill. Saturday and today mark the 42nd year of the Bazaar, an annual fund-raiser for the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church.

More than 50 families gathered at the church for traditional Japanese foods, exhibits, games, raffles, hand-made crafts, taiko drum performances and kendo and judo demonstrations.

Denise and Doug Valdez and their sons and sons Bryan, 6, and Owen, 9, were at the bazaar Saturday. “We’ve attended every year for probably the past 20 years” she said. “It’s really a fun event for the kids.”

For her boys, the carnival games like basketball toss, duck pond and goldfish were the highlight of the day. Proudly displaying his bag full of dimes, Bryan said, “I won money!”

Church administrator Bill Sawasaki, who doubled as a ticket vendor, said the they raised a net of $40,000 last year. But it’s not all about the money, he said. “The best part is the food,” noting that the busiest time is around dinner.

Helen Yamasaki said that she and other volunteers spent about two days preparing the traditional food which included several types of sushi and manju, or Japanese steamed cake.

In another room of the temple, several people toured the bonsai and ikebana exhibit where the small trees and colorful flower arrangements were the subject of every conversation.

Johnny Uchida, a sensei — or teacher — of bonsai technique displayed some of his bonsai which included a 300-year-old Sierra juniper gathered from the Sierra Nevada 20 years ago.

For Uchida, the bazaar is not only a place to display his work and teach others about bonsai, it has become a part of his history.

“We built this temple in 1962, shortly after my daughter was born, and I’ve been doing this since then,” he said.

The festivities will continue from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. today at the church, 32975 Alvarado-Niles Blvd., Union City.